You wouldn’t necessary think that a French-style bakery would be worth your time in Taiwan, but pretty much everyone agrees that Wu Pao Chun Bakery is a must-visit in Kaohsiung.
Beef noodle soup is a classic Taiwanese dish, and at Gang Yuan, they serve it with a bit of a twist — you can order it dry (though the classic soup version is also an option).
It’s tasty, but I’ll admit it — I kinda missed the soup.
I stumbled onto this delightful little hole-in-the-wall gem while walking to Lotus Pond. It looked busy — that’s my main criterion for picking a restaurant if I don’t have a place in mind. If a place is packed with locals, it must be doing something right.
And indeed, it was quite tasty. I ordered a noodle dish with pork, and it seriously hit the spot.
If you’re in Kaohsiung, you have to go to Duck Zhen. I’m not saying you should go to Duck Zhen; I’m saying you must. It’s that good. Mandatory.
Sometimes, you’ve gotta roll with the punches. The plan was to go to Xing Long Ju, a very well regarded breakfast joint in Kaohsiung. A little bit too well regarded, it turns out — the line was bonkers.
Some dishes that you eat while traveling are good, but they take you out of your comfort zone. The taste or the texture is unfamiliar, and you need to eat a few bites to even decide what you think of it.
On the other hand, there are dishes like the grilled pork rice at Yongle Shao Rou Fan. It doesn’t ask anything of you but to enjoy it.
I showed up at Qiu Jia Xiao Juan Mi Fen about ten minutes after it opened, and the place was already packed. Suffice it to say, the place is quite popular; always a good sign.
I think there might have been other stuff on the menu, but this place is known for one particular dish, and that’s what everyone was eating: squid noodles.
One thing I’ve noticed about the food in Tainan: it’s noticeably sweeter than the cuisine in Taipei or Taichung. Most of the things I’ve tried here have been at least a little bit sweet.
Ah Song Gua Bao is a good example of this: they sell pork buns, and they’re distinctly sweeter than the version I had in Taipei.
Ah Tang is famous for something called milkfish porridge, which is essentially a very ricey soup with a whole bunch of fish chunks in it, traditionally eaten for breakfast.
I was a little concerned about having something so fishy first thing in the morning, but of course, I shouldn’t have been. When it comes to food, Taiwan knows where it’s at. They won’t steer you wrong.
There’s no mistaking a place that sells stinky tofu; you’ll smell it before you see it.
Yes, stinky tofu absolutely lives up to its name — it’s quite pungent.